


A Stucky Christmas Carol

by I_Am_Many



Series: A Slice of Stucky [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Asthmatic Steve Rogers, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Christmas Special, Christmas Tree, Ice Skating, Inspired by A Christmas Carol, Jewish Bucky Barnes, M/M, POV Bucky Barnes, POV Steve Rogers, Past Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Pre-Captain America: The First Avenger, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-11 16:10:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8997724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Am_Many/pseuds/I_Am_Many
Summary: Loosely inspired by "A Christmas Carol" (mostly for its structure), we visit Christmas season in different periods of Steve and Bucky's relationship, taking a look at a long-ago December 23rd, a present Christmas Eve, and a sneak peak at what could be a future Christmas for the Stucky family.(1st chap Pre-NATWW2nd & 3rd chap Post NATWW)





	1. Ghost of Christmas Past

**Author's Note:**

> Since the Rockefeller center Christmas tree didn't exist at the time, I decided that in my Stuckyverse, Howard Stark had a jolt of philanthropy, and decided to give the residents of NYC a beautiful present. (Maybe it was also because he secretly thought winter was dreadfully depressing and wanted to make something exciting and fun cause he was still a kid inside)
> 
> As usual, dialogues will be in bold, and in italic are thoughts and actions.
> 
>  
> 
> ENJOY!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's festive season in Brooklyn, and Bucky took Steve out for a Winter Wonderland afternoon. But days later, on the threshold of Christmas Eve the consequences of cold weather on Steve's fragile health are showing. Bucky can't help but worry as it gets worse, the main question on his mind being: Will Steve make it to Christmas?

**“Poor Steve, catching a nasty cold just days before Christmas, and it’s my fault!”** I said, taking my coat off while looking at Steve all wrapped up in the small bed.  
**“So sorry champ.”**  
**“It’s fine Bucky, it was worth it!”** Steve replied, giving me the widest smile he could muster, his effort cut short by a coughing fit.  
I dropped my coat on a chair and rushed to him with a glass of water, concern flooding my mind. I knew that cough, I had heard it before and remembered it from my days spent at Steve’s bedside with Sarah. I also recalled the anguish on her face when looking at her son, and I was pretty sure the same expression now appeared on mine as I helped Steve sit up.  
Once the coughing stopped I couldn't help but apologize again:  
**“I’m so sorry Steve, I shouldn't have taken you out in this weather. I was so excited by this Stark Christmas tree thing, I kept-”**  
**“Bucky, stop.”** Steve replied, putting a hand on my arm. He could see how I was beating myself up, but Steve being Steve, he wasn’t even close to letting me take all the blame.  
**“If I hadn't wanted to go, I wouldn't have. I was excited too and you didn't force me to go.”**  
**“But you got excited cause I kept telling you about it, made it sound like bee’s knees!”**  
**“Baloney! I’m no simpleton Buck, don't think you conjured me to do it or something, I wanted to go too, and it was my decision as much as your–”**  
Another coughing fit stopped him in his tracks, so he finished his argument by pointing towards the bedside table where his sketching pad was resting.  
But I was incapable of looking at anything else but him, remorse and worry eating me up. So Steve got his drawings of the day from the nightstand as his breathing came back to normal, and handed them to me.  
**“Holy cow Steve, this is the stuff! It’s beautiful!”**  
**“Thanks Buck. You see, I told you it was worth it! I loved that giant Christmas tree, all those lights, and this feeling in the air… that Mr. Stark had a great idea, it was magical”** Steve replied, and I could see his eyes light up as if we were still standing in front of the tree.  
We had gone out to watch the first ever Stark Industries Christmas Tree day, where a giant Christmas tree had been installed and lit at the strike of noon, its base surrounded by a whole miniature town with lampposts and lit houses and trains and cars running on Stark energy, complete with real snow. Steve and I had stood there, side by side, counting down with the crowd and looking at the whole installation as it lit up from the tree base to its incredible tree-top crystal star. We were both staring at it in awe, but I had peeked at Steve just to see his face light up as the tree did. I didn’t know why, but I loved the simple sight of Steve’s happiness, especially when he had gotten his sketchpad out and was drawing away frantically, locked away in his own world. It always made me feel a little bit warm inside…  
We had spent the start of the afternoon there, and were supposed to go ice-skating on the Central Park Lake later on but after hours spent outside in the cold, and even though he was wrapped up as warmly as our meagre means allowed, Steve was starting to shiver, cough and looked paler by the minute. I insisted that we went home, already worrying about Steve’s fragile health, even though the little punk kept insisting he was fine. Which he obviously wasn’t as his cough had gotten worse in the next couple of days, the fits more and more frequent and only made worse by his asthma.  
**“You could have pulled me around on one of those kid’s sleigh!”** he said, a small joking smile on his lips  
**“My name’s not Rudolph Steve, I don’t do sleigh-pulling so that** **you can rest your scrawny asthmatic ass while I sweat it.”** I replied, giving him my raised-eyebrow cocky look until Steve went into another coughing fit worse than the previous one. But what really worried me was that it was surely still better than the next one, and so I put a hand on Steve’s shoulder in a reassuring gesture.  
**“That’s it, let it all out. You’re gonna be okay”** I said, sitting next to him to rub his back. When he finally could catch his breath, I asked:  
**“Where’s your ephedrine? You need to take some before this gets worse”**  
**“I… I finished it this afternoon…”**  
**“Really?? And you couldn’t have–”** _deep breath_ I didn’t want to get mad at him, not in the state he was.  
**“You should have told me Steve, I won’t be able to buy any until tomorrow. It’s too late now, all the shops are closed.”**  
**“It’ll be fine Bucky, I won’t suddenly die of asthma in the middle of the night”**  
**“Huh-uh… I’m gonna heat up the leftover soup, you want some?”**  
**“I’m…I’m not-”**  
**“What did you have for lunch?”**  
**“…”**  
**“Yeah that’s what I thought. So it’s actually not a question anymore champ, you’re having soup! I’ll be right back, just keep breathing slowly and call if you need help.”**  
I felt guilty I had had to leave Steve alone all day, but as low as we tried to keep the bills, one of us had to work to bring home the cabbage.  
We ate our dinner on the small bed as I didn’t want Steve to make the slightest unnecessary effort. We talked about our day, about the Stark Christmas tree, and how when Steve would be better, we’d definitely go ice-skating. Maybe even on Christmas Day, which was only two days away. But all through the evening it seemed clear Steve wasn't getting any better, and I was getting more and more anxious about it.

  
When it came time to go to bed, I insisted on sleeping on the floor next to Steve, which of course prompted protests.  
**“I can’t have–“** _cough cough_ **“you can’t”** _cough again_ **”sleep”** more and more whizzing cough.  
**“Okay okaaay, will you stop trying to beat your gums if I go sleep on the sofa-bed?”**  
Steve nodded, not able to speak yet.  
**“Alright pal, but if you need help, anything, don’t try and play brave, wake me up. Promise?”** Steve didn’t need to wake me up though, because I didn’t go to sleep. I simply couldn’t. So I kept staring alternatively at the ceiling, at the snow falling behind the window, at the tiny Christmas tree we had brought home and decorated together on December 1st. Steve had even made some paper snowflakes in that afternoon to hang around the apartment.  
I regularly heard Steve coughing and listened to his breathing getting worse through the hours until it hit its lowest point.  
Steve started coughing, but this time he didn’t stop. He couldn’t. I bolted to the bed, trying to reassure him, to have him breathe with me as the croup turned into a full blown asthma attack, both mixing together to keep air out of his lungs. I unwrapped Steve from all the blankets and sat him up then took his hand and put it on my chest, letting him feel my own regular breathing.  
**“Try and calm down Steve, try and take deep breaths, just like me. In and out, in and out…”** I instructed him, but nothing seemed to matter as Steve breathing wouldn’t settle down and fear started to show in his eyes as he looked at me, his fingers digging into my chest.  
**“Just try and stay calm, you’re… Alright, I’ve got an ide–”** I told him, but in that same moment Steve stopped looking panicked. He stopped looking altogether, his eyes rolling back and his eyelids closing as he went unconscious.  
Without Steve’s medicine available, I was fighting my rising panic, pushing away the waves of despair crashing over me as well as struggling for ideas to help him breathe. I couldn't lose Steve, it was simply impossible.  
Then it came to me, from the far recess of my memory: one day Sarah had explained to the curious kid that I was how the new inhaling medication she had bought worked, and how the fact that it was dissolved in hot water helped.  
**“Hang in there Steve, just a little bit longer!”**  
I lifted his frail inanimate body off the bed and carried him close to my chest into the bathroom. I closed the door and opened both the shower and the sink’s tap to hot water, the idea being to build up as much steam as possible. I would empty the hot water tank if I had to, I didn't care about the bills anymore. All that mattered was Steve.  
**“Come on Rogers, keep breathing! Come on buddy!”** I said. But even with both taps open, the steam didn't seem to build up and I started to grow desperate, until I spotted the gap under the bathroom door. How could I have forgotten about what we both called “the Abyss”, which always let cold air in the bathroom, resulting in us freezing whenever we came out of the shower when outside temperature dropped.  
**“Goddam crappy apartment!!”** I shouted angrily while grabbing both our towels. I propped Steve against the wall and put the towels at the foot of the door, trying to cover the gaping space as best as I could.  
Once done, I waited a bit to make sure the steam was staying in, which it was, making the temperature climb rapidly in the small bathroom. I had to take off my shirt as I started to overheat and did the same to Steve to prevent his fever from climbing as much as possible in those circumstances. Then I sat back next to him on the cold bathroom floor and waited, checking his breathing regularly, holding his hand and talking to him, my voice sounding distressed even to myself. I could feel moisture around my eyes and wasn't sure the steam was the cause of it.  
**“Come on Steve, please wake up! You can’t do that to me, not now! Not ever! Keep breathing…”** now I knew I had definitely started crying as I held Steve close to me, willing him to breathe normally again, to wake up and smile and say it was all a joke.  
After a few minutes that felt like an eternity, I heard Steve’s breathing become less whizzy and more regular, the attack finally subsiding. Looking at him intently in the steam and weak light, I saw Steve’s eyes open a couple of minutes later, a confused and scared look on his face.  
**“Wha… what** happ **…”**  
**“** Sshhh **, it’s okay champ, I’ve got you. You had a coughing fit, and then a goddam asthma attack on top of it and you passed out. Just try and breathe slowly in and out, just like me”** I told him softly as I inhaled through my nose and exhaled through my mouth to accompany him.  
After a while, I gently settled Steve against the wall before getting up to close the taps, then sat back next to him.  
**“You better pal?”**  
**“Yes… yes I think so”**  
**“Gosh Steve, you gave me such a fright! I thought… I thought I was gonna lose you”** I said, looking at him with my vision blurring once more. Steve slowly raised one hand to my face and softly wiped away a tear that had overflowed. Our looks locked, staying like that for a few seconds, it was as if we were frozen in time before he took his hand away.  
**“I wouldn’t do that to you Buck, we still have to go ice skating. And hey…”**  
**"Yes?”**  
**“Who would drag you to mass for Christmas if I was gone?”** he asked me, looking more like himself now, trying to joke even in his state.  
**“Maybe I should go to the synagog... I think I’ll have some thanking to do this year. Come on, put your arm around my neck, I’ll carry you back to bed, and I’ll sleep on the floor this time, no arguing.”**  
**“I can’t–“**  
**“I said no arguing!”** I replied as I helped him up.  
**“Actually, I was gonna ask if I could sleep with you…”**  
His request stopped me in my tracks, taken aback. But when I looked down at him, his blue eyes gave me the same look as before, and that strange warm feeling came back. Like that night on the bike last summer…  
**“It’s just that, it’s really cold out here compared to the bathroom.”**  
**“Yes ok, but you have to promise not to pull all the covers, you punk.”**  
**“Jerk”** he replied mockingly when I laid him down on the sofa bed. I got us both dry tops and climbed into bed. Then, looking at the clock, I noticed something and turned around to face him.  
**“By the way, it’s past midnight, so it’s already Christmas Eve.”** His sleepy eyes still had that little spark lighting up when I told him.  
**“Merry Christmas Eve Steve, now go to sleep.”**  
**“Thanks Bucky, merry Christmas Eve to you too.”** he said, and I fell into slumber with his small sleepy smile as the last thing I saw.

I woke up to the same smile and... a warm muscly arm around my waist, holding me close. _Where... How?_

 **"Hey... G'mornin' babe"** said Steve in a drowsy voice, or at least I thought it was hi– _wait... What??_

 

 


	2. Ghost of Christmas Present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Christmas Eve, and nothing will keep Steve from enjoying the present with Bucky, not even some memory loss or lunch invitations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Finally!" I can hear you all say. Well yes, after the Family Christmas hurricane and taking care of my grandmother (which included but is not limited to chopping wood, making fire and keeping it going, going grocery shopping on a bicycle or cleaning out a 60L aquarium), oh, and also having a 18H delay on my flight back (that's right, EIGHTEEN HOURS), it's FINALLY HERE!
> 
> This time we are exploring present time with the boys, and how they're enjoying their first Christmas Eve together. To put you in the right spot of my Stuckyverse chronology, this takes places the Christmas after "Not all those who wander..."  
> And yes this triptych was supposed to be posted on the 23rd, 24th and 25th, but... life happened
> 
> We've changed POV as you will surely guess.
> 
> As always, dialogues in bold and thoughts/actions in italic
> 
>  
> 
> ENJOY!
> 
> *********************

I woke up to the same smile and... a warm muscly arm around my waist, holding me close. _Where... How?_  
**"Hey... G'mornin' babe"** said Steve in a drowsy voice, or at least I thought it was hi– _wait... What??_  
****************  
**“Slept well?”** I asked Bucky, but once I had opened my eyes fully, I understood something was wrong. He was looking at me strange, as if lost.  
_God, please don’t let it be a relapse_. I took my arm off of him, as it obviously seemed to startle him. Today felt like it was gonna be what I had come to call a “Reset”. They were becoming more and more rare but were still happening from time to time. They could last up to a few days, or simply a few hours and were triggered mostly when he had some vivid memories coming back, specially as a dream, which was surely what happened this time.

 **“Hey, Bucky. You know who I am right?”**  
**“Steve. That I know. But… you look different. I fell asleep next to you, and you were so small and frail… and sick. And… I nearly lost you–“**  
He stopped in the middle of his sentence, and I understood.  
**“Hey, it’s ok. I’m here you see, I’m alive and well. Tell me more about your dream, maybe I can help you?”** I said, putting a reassuring hand on his arm.  
**“You… you did that at some point. We went to this Christmas tree thing”**  
**“Oh yes, the Stark Christmas tree! I’ve gotta talk to Tony about it…”**  
**“And so, you caught a cold, and in the night it got worse, and you couldn’t breathe and it was awful and I had to keep you breathing and–“**  
**“Hey, hey, it’s fine. It’s alright Buck, it was just a memory. I remember it now, I had an asthma attack and passed out. You saved me that night pal.”**  
**“Yes, and you wanted to sleep with… ugh, I’m sorry Steve, it all feels so goddam jumbled up there! So you’re telling me it was all a dream? From a memory right?”**  
**“It was. A lot has happened since. Do you remember any of it? How I got much… healthier? How you got… your arm?”**  
He looked at his right arm, then his left, and his eyes got wide with a panic.  
**“Holy cow!!! What the hell?? How?? Steve, what–”**  
I took his metal hand in mine as he was running out of breath, surely due to a panic attack rising.  
**“It’s alright hon–… Bucky. It’s all going to come back, try not to panic. You know what? Just let me make a few phone calls, and then I’ll tell you about everything. Just stay here ok? Try to calm down. Wanna cup of joe?”**  
**“Yeah… Yeah I guess… thanks.”** He answered, looking at me from top to bottom now that I had gotten up. I couldn’t see any sort of recognition in his eyes, but something else was there… Apparently, his feelings for me were still present, surely confusing him right now. But he was definitely enjoying the view, even if unconsciously, which couldn’t help but make me smile.  
I walked to the kitchen and put the kettle on before grabbing my phone.

 **“You’ve just reached the Stark voicemail clone, please leave a message.”**  
**“Stark… you know I know it’s you, right?”**

 **“Ugh… worth a try! What’s going on Capsicle?”**  
**“I just… I’m sorry but Bucky and I won’t be able to come around for lunch, is that ok?”** I asked  
**“How rude! Cancelling on the same day! And Pepper who had organized everything to the tiniest detail! Really Cap, what went through your mind?”**  
**“Listen Tony, I’m really sorry but–"**  
**“Hey, I’m joking Rogers! Do you really think I’m that stuck up?”**  
**“Frankly, I never know with you. Anyway… yeah it’s just… something came up. We should be able to make it to the Christmas Eve dinner, but…”**  
**“Ok. What’s going on? And I’m serious now, this is not like you, cause let’s face it, you’re the most stuck-up of the both of us! Is it your boyfriend?”**  
**“It’s been a long time but… It seems to be a Reset.”** I told him, trying to sound as calm as possible  
**“Do you need me to send a someone?”**  
**“No no, it’s fine. He’s not being violent or anything, just confused. He had a dream last night which was actually a memory, and he woke up surely thinking he was still there.”**  
**“How did he react to his arm?”**  
**“Huuum… I believe you say “freak out”? Yeah, he was kinda panicked, but I calmed him down. Anyway, I have to go, I need to bring him back. But we should be able to make it for dinner. Give my apologies to Pepper.”**  
**“Will do. I’d make a sarcastic joke about your boyfriend so you could tell him, but I guess he won’t understand in his state.”**  
**“Not really no. Oh and by the way, he reminded me of something. Did you know your dad used to have a giant lit up Christmas tree set up in Central Park? Before the whole Rockefeller thing. It could be nice if you revived the tradition. You know, for the whole “philanthropist” thing”** I said in a slightly sarcastic tone.  
**“Really? That must have been way back when you use to not be a fossil but a scrawny asthmatic little punk, right?”**  
**“Ha. Ha. Just, look into it ok? It could be nice for the city. And if you don’t do it for the city and kids, do it for yourself! Think of the good press you and the Avengers will get”**  
**“Now you’re talking!”**  
**“I’ll see you later then, I don’t wanna leave Buck alone for too long”**  
**“Okay, and seriously, I’ve got the whole team on speed dial, so tell me if you need to… contain him”**  
**“Thanks Tony”**  
**“See you at the Barton’s”**

  
After hanging up, I made another short phone call to check if Bucky's Christmas present was on on its way as scheduled. Then, once I hung up I made myself tea and Bucky's coffee. I use to only have the instant powder kind since I never drank any, so it was for guests. But last Christmas Tony got me one of those fancy coffee machine, the one using weird small caps. I have to admit, I was quite perplexed by the whole thing at first. But Stark told me, and I quote: “I can’t stand drinking mud every time I come around”, meaning it was more of an indirect gift to himself (and to Sam who did appreciate the novelty)  
I started using it much more when Bucky moved in though, as he was addicted to his wakey juice in the morning. Some things never changed I guess, and Bucky not functioning until he had his cup of joe was one of those.

 I made my way back to the bedroom with both our cups in one hand and Bucky’s meds in the other and found him up and looking around, holding a photograph of the both of us hugging back during our trip to Thailand.

 **“Might be a bit too much to take in right now, isn’t it?”“Yeah… Though it does ring a bell somehow, at the far back of my mind…”**  
**“Well, that’s already a good thing! Do you wanna have breakfast in bed, or you wanna go in the living room?”**  
**“I think I’ll stay here, I wanna know… or remember I guess”**  
**“Okay, settle down then!”**  
He sat back down on the bed and I gave him his cup of… Kazaar. _God, all those strange coffee names…_ It was the strongest one and his favorite for breakfast. Then I sat back next to him and decided to start slow:  
**“So, you had this dream, and we’ve established it was a memory, right?”**  
**“Right. A vivid one though…”**  
**“You want the long version or short one?”**  
**“I think… I think stuff is coming back. So, the short one I’d say.”**  
**“Ok. so first you need to take your meds."** I said, opening my hand and holding it out. He stared at the pills resting on my palm with a confused expression.

 **“My meds? But… I’m not sick Steve.”** he answered, incomprehension in his voice.

 **“I know. But it… let’s say it helps with the memories. You trust** **me** **buddy?”**

**“Of course I do.”**

**“So please take the meds”**

He took the small pills in his hand, scrutinizing them as if they were gonna come alive at some point, but ended up taking them.

 **“Great, that’s a first step. Now open your nightstand drawer”**  
He did and discovered his several journals. We spent a couple of hours going through them, reading, looking at pictures he’d taken and drawings I’d sketched. I had to help him get through a few panic attacks, but he never got violent as he used to, his medication surely helping. So all in all it wasn't too bad.  
Once we were done, and after spending a while in silence, he looked at me and it was as if someone had turned the light back on in his mind.  
**“Gosh, I hate when it happens! It’s like… it’s like my memory suddenly falls to ruins and everything is blurry excep one old memory left and the rest has disappeared…”**

**“I know, but I’ll be here to remind you of the rest.”**

**“I’m sorry babe”** he said, taking my hand in his. My Bucky was back, and I wrapped my arms around him, planting a kiss in his hair.  
**“It’s ok, you don’t have to be. Now, do you want me to tell you about my dream?”**  
**“Yes please.”**  
I released him and he lied down, his head on my lap and me resting against the headboard.  
As I started telling the story, we had that reflex gesture that had developed over the last year: we’d hold hand very lightly, lacing our fingers together and letting go, playing around, rubbing each other’s knuckles.  
I told him the whole dream, the cabin and the snow and the Christmas decorations, but especially about that feeling at the end of it, when he and I were sitting on the comfy couch, all wrapped up together in blankets, him reading and me sketching.  
**“So that’s why you were smiling in your sleep.”**  
**“Might have been the reason!”** I replied, smiling again. Buck then sat up and looked at the alarm clock.  
**“Aren’t we supposed to get ready for lunch? If I remember correctly, pun intended, we’ve got some kind of lunch with Iron Face and the rest of them?”**  
**“Weeeell… I kinda sorta canceled on him.”**  
**“What?! You, Steve Rogers, the most polite, politically correct, old-fashioned man in the world? Cancel on a lunch last minute?”**  
I took a falsely offended expression which made him laugh, then answered more seriously:  
**“I might have been all that before you came back. After all, I was the Man out of Time, good manners included. But since I got you back, some things have changed, including my priorities.”**  
**“Hey, it’s not Christmas yet, keep your compliments!”** Bucky replied jokingly.  
**“You know I don’t need it to be Christmas to be nice to you. I’m the sappy one here!”** I said and Bucky curled up against me, going into his cat mode _(and what everyone else called kitty mode in his back)_  
**“And anyway, I’ve got some other ideas for today. We’ve got time until we need to leave for the Barton’s”**  
**“Other ideas huh?”** Bucky said in his smooth, overly seductive voice, his hand suddenly going up and between my thighs  
**“No honey, not “that” kind of idea.”**  
**“Really”** he replied, his hand going higher still **“cause that’s not what your body’s saying right now”**  
**“Mmmph…”**  
**“You know what? I’m gonna go shower”** he said, and then, whispering next to my ear **“and you could join me to save time…”**  
He got up and walked to the en-suite, then, once he had passed the door, threw his boxer shorts back in the room.  
**“I hate you right now Buck.”**  
**“Yeah yeah...”** I heard him say while opening the tap

 

After a long shower, _a very long shower_ , we finally went down to the garage, covered from head to toe to resist the cold air of December.  
**“So, where are we going?”**  
**“You’ll see…”**  
**“You’re usually so bad at surprises… I’m shocked!”**  
**“There, I’m proving I can surprise you! Now get on, I’m driving.”**  
I took the 278, riding along the Promenade, then crossed the Brooklyn Bridge and up the FDR drive. It might not have been the most obvious or shortest route to Central Park, but it was our favorite because we drove along the East River. I think Bucky guessed where we were going at some point, but not what we were going to do once there.  
Once we arrived at the edge of the park, I went behind him and put my hands on his eyes  
**“And no peeking!”** Then I slowly guided him towards the lake, and when we finally got to the ice skating rink I took my hands off.  
**“You can open your eyes now”**  
When he did, I saw his lips turn into maybe one of the brightest smiles I had ever seen on his face.  
**“We were supposed to go ice-skating that day and it was our last Christmas together… So I thought, since you dreamt about it last night, and this is our first Christmas back together…”**  
**“And actually together!”** he added, taking my hand. **“This is just right, thank you Steve!!”**

 

We got our skates from the booth and I had to insist on paying for them even though. (It's crazy how much free stuff I get by being Captain America... And we'd take it all if I listened to Bucky!) then found a small space on the frozen lake that was a bit more isolated. Of course, Bucky immediately launched himself on the ice like a professional skater, the Winter in Winter Soldier definitely showing.  
It took me a while to get used to the slippery surface. Captain America or not, no dose of super serum was gonna improve my ice-skating abilities. Or innabilities in that case. So Bucky came to my help, taking my hand and guiding me along.  
**“Look, you have to lean forward to keep your balance. Then just try and walk normally, and add a bit of… “gliding” to your steps. One foot after the other, left, right, left, right…”**  
**“I’m not Miss America Buck, I don’t “glide” ”** I said, giving him a sarcastic look. A look that made me straighten up, meaning I wasn’t leaning forward and…  
**“Wo, woa, wooaaa–“**  
**“I’ve got you!”**   he said as he basically swept me off my feet and kept going.  
**“I could get used to that kind of skating”**  
**“You might not be Miss America, but you’re definitely a princess!”** Bucky replied, shaking his head with a little mocking smile.  
**“Yeah, maybe… But I’d be your princess!”** I said, and we couldn’t help but laugh. Nevertheless, he kept me in his arms for a while after the laughing had subsided as I put my arms around his neck and rested my head against his shoulder. After a while, I gave him a small peck on the cheek then asked him to put me down. It wasn’t gonna be said that Captain America didn’t try his hardest!  
We spent half an hour there, in our little corner as I got more and more confident on the ice. I was no Bucky, but I could at least keep up with him when he didn’t go into full on NHL skater mode. We stayed another 30min, until we saw more and more people arriving. Usually I didn’t mind being asked to sign some memorabilia or answer kid’s questions about me, or even about Bucky and the Winter Soldier. But today I wanted to simply be myself, the kind of guy who slipped and fell while skating, who enjoyed an afternoon out with his man, or who would have a homey Christmas Eve dinner with all the extended family who would ask all the embarrassing questions they could imagine.

  
Today I wanted to be a simple man, living in the present. A man in his time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! Yes, Steve has a Nespresso machine, and had no clue how to use it at first. And yes, Tony is a selfish jerk. But little did he know his present was gonna be of much use to Bucky! Oh, and yup, I've established some family dinner on Christmas Eve that will become a tradition, where I imagine all of them meeting up at Clint's home and eat together (even though Nat is sometimes late or in some weird undercover mission, and Thor doesn't even know what Christmas is...)  
> I might even write a spin-off one shot about it if you're all nice ;) (or you can also tell me if you want one )
> 
> Anyway, do not fear, the third part won't take that long to come around as it is already written and only needs editing and posting!
> 
> Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are preparing to have a blast (or have a nice evening in) for NYE.  
> And just like always, don't forget to give and share the love and leave your thoughts in the comments :)


	3. Ghost of Christmas Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coming back from the traditional Christmas Eve dinner at the Barton's, Steve and Bucky put their son to bed. After some negotiations and a story about a very special drawing, Carter finally goes to sleep with a firm Christmas Wish in mind, hoping with all his little boy's heart it will come true during the night...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY READERS! I hope you all had a really nice NYE, be it partying or just have a nice night in with family and/or friends.  
> And to start off the year, what's better than lots of Stucky family fluffy cuteness? Because yes, this is the chapter that makes this part of the Stucky Family series
> 
> Here, we are transported to the Stucky Family future, where Steve and Bucky are raising little Carter, but also in a dream that might be... prophetic...
> 
> Once again, we have changed POV, and for the first time EVER, you are getting Carter's POV! As someone who's been taking care of little kids for a while now, I thought it'd be funny to think and express myself like one. So yes, it might be annoying, some of you might even cringe at the long, comma-less sentences and weird past tense. But don't forget this is a four-year-old Carter speaking, and I thought it was important to give him a voice and a POV.( There's just a tiny bit of third person at the beginning to set the stage)
> 
> So I hope you'll enjoy!
> 
> *****************************

**“Thanks for dinner Laura, it was delicious, just like every year,”** said Bucky

**“Oh stop it James, you sweet talker!”**

**“That he is!”**

**“Hey, careful Barnes, that’s my wife you’re sweet talking! You’ve got your super soldier, I have a super wife, stay on your own turf** **"** warned Clint with his typical serious-daddy-face they all knew was a joke.

 **“Don’t worry, I know how to keep him on the right path!”** replied Steve, putting an arm around Bucky’s waist and squeezing him a bit. Then he let go to clap his hands and called:

**“Come on Carter! It’s time to go home, say bye to your cousins and come down!”**

**“Yeeeesssss daddyyy!”** they heard Carter shout from upstairs… and had to wait ten more minutes until Bucky climbed half the stairs to call him again.

**“Carter Barnes-Rogers, get yourself down here right now. You say bye and I expect to see you downstairs in 2 minutes tops”**

He went back down as Laura was asking Steve **“Does he treat you like that too?”**

 **“He tries..."** Steve replied sarcastically, before adding: **"It could have been worse though, he didn’t even use his second name this time”**

As expected, Carter came down the stairs in less than two minutes, followed by Clint’s kids and Nat.

**“It was my fault, we were playing hide and seek… and they couldn’t find me”**

**“They couldn’t find an ex-soviet spy…Go figure!”** said Bucky jokingly, then, crouching down to his son’s level, **“Next time just tell us you just need a few more minutes instead of making us wait, ok?"**

**"Okay Dad"**

**"But we'll work on your stealth and seeking technique so you won't even need those extra minutes,”** Bucky said, winking, and fist-bumped with his son.

 **“Bye auntie Natka! Bye uncle Clint, bye Auntie Laura,”** said Carter, giving each of them a hug before Steve swept him off his feet.

 **“Let’s go home!”** he said, and put him on his shoulder like a potato bag, something both Bucky and he had been doing since he could barely walk. And Carter still loved it as much, waving goodbye with a big smile on his face.

**********************

 **“Come on champ, time to sleep!”** said Daddy. I turned to Dad, hoping for a bit more time, but when he was about to say something, Daddy took his hand and squeezed it. I don’t know how he did it, but every time he did, Dad agreed with him. It was like magic.

**“Can I have a story then? Pleeeeeeaaaase”**

Dad looked at Daddy, and this time he was the one who agreed.

 **“Ok, which one do you want?”** asked Daddy

 **“The one about the drawing, the one about the drawing!!”** I said and bounced on my bed, clapping my hands.

**“Really? Again?”**

**“Yeeeeesssss. you and Daddy tell me the story!”**

**“Alright, but first you have to settle down,”** Dad said, so I lied down and he pulled the blanky on me.

**“So, a very long time ago, when Daddy and I were young–“**

**“When Daddy was very small and sick all the time?”**

**“Yes, when your Daddy was all small and scrawny but just as stubborn,”** Dad said, and Daddy made a strange noise like a laugh but not really.

**“And before you had your super special metal arm?”**

**“Yes, before all that. I took Daddy out on a very special day because it was the first day uncle Tony’s dad created this beautiful illuminated giant Christmas tree–“**

**“Like the one uncle Tony has in front of the big A tower?”**

**“Yes, like that one, and with a whole miniature, all lit-up town. You know what miniature means?”**

**“No.”**

**“It means very very small”**

**“Oooh”**

**“So there was this whole scene and Daddy and I counted down until the tree lit up, and it was like magic because at the time we didn’t have all the machines and computers and things that we have today so that was very impressive.”**

**“But it was uncle Tony’s dad, so he must have been very clever like him”**

**“Iron Fa– Uncle Tony is not that clever. He’s just very good at playing with his toys.”**

**“Anyway, ”** said Daddy **“we went there, and I loved it so much I made lots and lots of drawing, and I made a secret one that I didn’t show your Dad”**

 **“Because long ago you loved Dad but you didn’t know, and he loved you but he didn’t know, and so nobody knowed,so it was a secret.”** I didn’t know why but what I said made Dad and Daddy laugh a bit.

 **“Nobody “knew” Carter, not “knowed”. But yes… it was more or less the situation”** said Daddy, and then Dad continued.

**“So, many many years later, but before we had you, I had a dream.”**

**“But it wasn’t a dream it was a memory! And when you waked up Daddy was really strong and you had your super special arm but you didn’t know why and you were afraid”**

**“Yes pumpkin, it was actually a memory, and it happened on Christmas Eve. And yes, when I woke up I was afraid because I didn’t remember any of it happening. But Daddy calmed me down and helped me remember, so it got all better. Then we went ice skating–“**

**“And Daddy was really bad at it and you were a champion but you teached him and now he’s okay good”**

**“Hey! Just okay good?”** asked Daddy

 **“Believe** me **Carter, he’s really good compared to the first time we went! Because I taught him, not "teached". Anyway, then we had dinner at uncle Clint and auntie Laura’s house, for the first time actually. That’s when we started the tradition”**

**“What’s a trashion daddy?”**

**“A tra-DI-tion is something that you do again and again at certain times. For example, going for dinner at the Barton’s every Christmas Eve is a tradition. Or Dad and you lighting up a candle on the menorah every night during Hanukkah and you and me making a small nativity under the Christmas tree.”**

**“Oooh, ok.”**

**“And so, after dinner, we came home and went to bed, and Santa came during the night. So in the morning we had our presents under the Christmas tree. Santa had given Daddy his tea-making machine from me, but he gave me a very special gift”**

**“THE SECRET DRAWING!!”**

**“Yes! See, Daddy told Santa where he could find the secret drawing, the one he made of the two of us hugging in front of the giant Christmas tree** , **so that he could put it in a beautiful frame and give it to me as a present!”**

**“And that, little soldier, is how Dad got the secret drawing I had made all those years before. Now, time to sleep Carter.”**

**“Do I have to Dad? I wanna see Santa!”**

**“You heard what Daddy said Pumpkin, it’s bedtime. And anyway, you have to be asleep if you want Santa to come give you presents! He only comes during the night, when you’re asleep.”**

**“But, Dad, how can he come if we don’t have a fireplace cause Thomas at school told me that Santa goes down the chimney but we don’t have a chimney.”**

**“It’s ok, he doesn’t actually have to use the chimney every time. There are lots of homes in the world where there are no fireplaces. He can use the window for instance!”**

**“Oooooohhh…. Like you do sometimes when you and Daddy go fight baddies?”**

**“Yes Carter, kinda like that. Now, make your wish for your present and go to sleep munchkin”** said Daddy

 **“** Oh **I already did!”**

 **“What did you wish for?”** asked Dad

**“Auntie Natka said I can’t tell, or it won’t happen, and I really want it to happen”**

**“True that! Good night then, sweet dreams”** said Dad. Then they each gave me a kiss on the head and left the room and Dad turned off the light.

Yes, I already knowed… no, I already knew what I wanted for Christmas, and I was going to keep wishing until I fell asleep.

I woke up and Dad and Daddy were there, and we were at the park and I was running. It was summer, but Uncle Tony’s Christmas tree was there, so I runned to Dad because I wanted to show him the tree.

“Dad, Dad, Dad! Come, uncle Tony’s tree is here!! Daaaad, cooome!” I said taking his hand. But he turned around and he had a baby with him and he said:

“Wait a minute Carter, Daddy and I have to change your sister first.”

My sister?? Dad put her down on the blank, and she was there and she looked at me and she had the same blue eyes like Daddy but so small. She had small hands and small feet and a small head and she was really cute.

**“Daddy Daddy! Can I hold her? I want her to see the tree!”**

**“Just a second Munchkin, I have to change her diaper first!”**

When Daddy finished, he took her in his arms and turned to me.

**“You can hold her, but remember she’s really small. You’re her big brother, you have to take care and be careful ok?”**

**“Ok Daddy,”** I said, and he slowly put her in my arms and she put her tiny hand on my face. I smiled because I was happy because my Christmas wish came true.

 

And I woke up again, but in my room. So I decided to run to go see Dad and Daddy, and I jumped on their bed.

**“Mmmpphh, Caaarteeer”**

**“Whadayou doin’here, it’s too early!”**

**“I wanna see if Santa came!! I wanna see if my wish came true!! Come oooon, wake up!!”**

**“Ok ok, just give your Dad and I a minute to wake up, alright?”**

I jumped off the bed and runned to the living room. There was lots of presents under the tree, some for Dad, some for Daddy and some for me. There was a big box for me, but I waited for Dad and Daddy to arrive, or they would be angry.

**“Mornin’ munchkin. So, you have lots of presents?”**

**“Yessss! And I have a big box, I want to open it first!!”**

**“Maybe wait for dad to have his coffee, or he’ll be** **grumpy,”** said Daddy, smiling a bit because it was a joke because Dad needed “wakey juice” or he was like a grumpy troll in the morning.

 **“Ok, I’m ready pumpkin,”** said Dad, holding his cup close to him.

**“Yuk, your wakey juice smells bad!”**

**“You’ll understand when you grow up, now go open your presents!”**

I wanted to open the big box first because I wanted my wish so I took all the paper off. But it was a box with a picture of a scooter on it. So I opened the box… but it was just a scooter. So I opened my other present, because she was so small, maybe she was in a small box. But no, she wasn’t there, and it made me sad.

“ **Hey, what’s going on champ? I thought you wanted a scooter, that’s why I asked Santa to bring you one. You shouldn’t act spoilt you know, all those presents are really great!”** said Daddy

**“But I thinked my wish came true. I saw it in the night, it was true Daddy!”**

**“In the night? Maybe it was dream then?”** asked Dad when he came and sitted next to me

**“But it was true, I saw my wish! I saw her!”**

Now dad and daddy made weird faces cause they didn’t understand.

 **“Ok, tell us what you wished for then.”** asked daddy, sitting next to dad and me.

**“I wished… I asked Santa to bring me a little sister! And I saw her and she was very small so you told me to be careful because I was her big brother!”**

**“Oh…”** Daddy said, and he looked at Dad with a strange look and asked:

**“And so you thought she was gonna be in your presents, right?”**

I nodded and sitted on Daddy’s legs and he put his arm around me, and Dad took my hand. And then they looked at each other again, and smiled and Dad said:

**“Well, you know what? Maybe you should keep wishing for it. And next Christmas, it might come true. You never know!”**

**“And you should never give up on your dreams anyway. See, I never gave up my dream of fighting baddies, and I became super strong and could fight them. I never gave up on your Dad recovering either, and look! Now he’s sitting here, and we have you and we’re happy!”**

**“It’s true Pumpkin, Daddy is definitely right! You shouldn’t give up on your dreams and wishes. So keep wishing for your little sister, and one day, maybe next Christmas, she’ll come true!”** Dad said. And he let go of my hands to put it on Daddy’s arm and he did a wink that made Daddy smile.

I don’t know why, but I felt all warm inside seeing Dad and Daddy like that.

I was going to keep wishing for my little sister and never give up. And one day she would come, I was sure she would.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, this is the end of this year's Festive Season Stucky Special. I really hope you liked reading it and had fun finding the little things linking all the different Christmas Ghosts together.  
> So now tell me, who here wants to know more about Carter's Christmas wish? Will it come true? Will the Stucky Family count one more member soon?
> 
> Tell me what you think in the comments, and don't forget to share and spread the love! :)

**Author's Note:**

> Oh dear readers, I missed you and I hope you missed me! After NaNoWriMo got the best of me in November, life got in the way until now (and by "life", I mean mostly a 6:30am to 5:30pm job sucking my energy), but I gathered what little strength I had on my days off and started this Christmas tryptic, inspired by the festive season and that "feeling of Christmas" in the air.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the first part, stay tuned for the next chapter, and as usual, don't forget to share the love and leave comments!
> 
> Happy Festive Season to all! <3


End file.
